COMPANY BACKGROUND

Formed in 2002, by Adrian Ogden, a professionally trained mycologist and organic mushroom farmer, the company has a wealth of experience on which to draw upon. Currently based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Gourmet Woodland Mushrooms offers a range of growing products and kits suitable for professionals and amateurs alike.

We are the largest producer of mushroom plug spawn in the U.K., with an international client list consisting of over 250 companies, higher education institutes, environmental charities, and thousands of individuals.

About Gourmet Woodland Mushrooms’ Owner, Adrian Ogden

Adrian’s interest in mushrooms was sparked observing the diverse wild mushrooms population in the Peak District.  A chance encounter with the book ‘The Mushroom Cultivator’ by Paul Stamets in a local library led to a new hobby.  Discovering a natural aptitude, in 1999 he visited the world-renowned Fungi Pertecti in the USA to learn advanced laboratory techniques.  A year later he set up the first dedicated organic oyster mushroom farm in the UK, which was also the first small-scale mushroom farm to have an integrated spawn laboratory.

Sensing the changes that the ‘local food revolution’ would bring to UK food production, in 2002 Adrian established Gourmet Woodland Mushrooms, whose aim is to supply high quality mushroom spawn to small-scale growers and hobbyists, and advance the knowledge of environmentally and energy conscious mushroom production techniques.

PHILOSOPHY

Unlike most other companies the majority of our mushroom species and strains originate directly from the wild. We search the woods and forests looking for choice edible species to isolate, or clone. This captures their essence so our customers experience mushrooms how they are meant to be.

Wild mushrooms have a much superior flavour and texture to the hybrids which are commonly offered by our competitors. Species which originate directly from the wild have a stronger resistance to competitor organisms, and experience has shown that they yield and perform better when using low-tech cultivation techniques.

QUALITY U.K. MADE PRODUCTS

All our gourmet mushroom growing products, kits, and mushroom species are rigorously researched and tested at our indoor and outdoor research sites. All mushroom spawn is produced using our own designed triple HEPA filtered spawn laboratory, and is reproduced from a culture bank of 30 plus productive and high yielding mushroom species. All products are delivered with a full warranty. Our Professional Mushroom Farming products are made individually to order, which guarantees peak viability at all times. Our instructions are designed to be practical and informative, making sure you get the most from your purchase. Technical support is FREE and always available via email.

ENVIRONMENT

Mushrooms are the most powerful recyclers the planet has to offer. They have the ability to turn forestry and agricultural waste into nutritious, healthy, food, plus a range of non-food products. The company harnesses the inherent biological power responsibly. We use natural materials only; no synthetic chemicals or genetic modification. The majority of our mushroom strains originate from wild specimens with a strong belief in natural selection over hybridisation.

We use as much recyclable packaging as possible. Boxes are made using recycled board, and the spawn bags are made using polypropelene (PP5 – which is recycled widely).  Our postal wallets are made from bio-degradeable material.

INNOVATION

In 2003 the company won a Department of Trade and Industry Smart Innovation Award. The award was given for the design of a special prototype container that prevents the mushrooms growing until activated by the purchaser.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

In partnership with the North York Moors National Park Sustainable Development Fund, we are undertook a research project which assessed the economic viability and also the wider social and ecological benefits of Woodland Mushroom Farming. Project Details:

14 trial farms over 8 separate sites
7 log sites with 700 logs
100 tree stumps
7 Morel charcoal sites totaling over 200 square feet
15 different species of gourmet mushrooms cultivated

WHY BUY FROM US?

As a result of out technical expertise, our 20 years of experience and importantly our passsion and love for mushrooms, we believe we produce the finest Gourmet Mushroom Growing Products in the United Kingdom.